Alexander Claus of Papa's Beach House

Alexander, what is your link with Haarlemmermeer?  

I live a stone's throw from Haarlemmermeer. And given my work, I definitely feel like a resident of the municipality of Haarlemmermeer. 

I have fond memories as a child, especially of the Haarlemmermeerse Bos. There used to be a surfing and sailing school in the forest. Here I learned to sail. In the summer holidays I spent hours here playing around the lake. Looking for frogs and fish while my father was at work in the office.  

I now see a lot of potential for Haarlemmermeer. It is a beautiful, strong economic municipality. There is still a lot of room to do business and grow here. With the current state of mind, in which corporate social responsibility is central, great developments can be put on the agenda. A Congregation to Pioneer! 

Everything we do at Papa's Beach House is based on the idea that we want to be a place where people feel at home. Where beautiful memories are made and where family and friendship are celebrated.

How exactly did the Claus family business start? 

In the 60s, my grandparents rented out their house in Noordwijk aan Zee during the summer as a kind of bed & breakfast. In those years my grandfather was a sales manager at a match factory and my grandmother took care of the rental of the bed & breakfast. Once they had saved enough money, in 1969 they got a chance to open a bowling alley in Haarlem. Then, 12 years later, they opened a second location in Alkmaar.  

The company's name then changed to "Claus Partyhouse." This is a name we still hear occasionally today. In 1991, the third and largest Claus location opened in Hoofddorp. Many successful years followed. The concepts were a hit, such as indoor barbecues with DJs, plenty of entertainment, and parties with Dutch celebrities. In 2023, we split as a family business and continued under the name Clay Hospitality. A new name, but still with the same philosophy: "bringing people together since 1969." 

Papa's Beach House is an icon in the Haarlemmermeerse Bos. Can you tell me about the origins of Papa's Beach House? 

Papa's Beach House started in 1989 as an event location. When the weather was nice, we sold fries, snacks and ice creams. We quickly saw that it had much more potential and that the more exclusive parties often like to organize an event here. Papa's Beach House was therefore completely rebuilt in 2013.  

Apart from the foundation and floor, the building is built entirely of sustainable wood. We have used recyclable and recycled materials as much as possible. As a result, we have grown from a snack bar to a restaurant for lunch and dinner. That was not easy in the beginning. The people who were used to the old version of Papa's Beach House often just wanted a simple fries. Instead of an extensive meal. Fortunately, those same people also knew where to find us afterwards if they wanted a nice lunch or dinner. 

Is it true that you can go straight into the water from Papa's Beach for supping? 

That's right. We've partnered with SUP SUP CLUB to rent special paddleboards. An innovative SUP SUP CLUB GO station has been installed next to our restaurant. Here, users can access the paddleboards via an app. We hope to expand this success even further with fun activities.  

The Haarlemmermeerse Bos is a popular place. Where not only everyone from Haarlemmermeer but also from beyond comes to relax, play sports or meet each other.

What are the future plans for Papa's Beach House? 

We're busy opening a new Papa's Beach House location. But I can't say too much about that yet! Our focus for the coming period will be primarily on maintaining our quality. This is only possible with the right people. A team of enthusiastic and passionate people is the most important part of our concept. Fortunately, we have a fantastic team, and this makes us very excited about the future.

What makes your company unique in Haarlemmermeer? 

The Haarlemmermeerse Bos has become more and more beautiful in the last 10 years. It's a popular place. Where not only everyone from Haarlemmermeer but also from beyond comes to relax, play sports or meet each other. Papa's Beach House fits perfectly in this environment.  

The name Papa's Beach House comes from the world famous writer and explorer Ernest Hemingway, who was nicknamed “Papa”. Papa's Beach House has since become a symbol for all bon vivants and adventurers. Our motto is “celebrating the good life”. Everything we do, we do with the idea that we want to be a place where people feel at home. Where beautiful memories are made and where family and friendship are celebrated. Many weddings and special events are also organized here. 

What are you proud of as an entrepreneur in Haarlemmermeer? 

I am proud that Haarlemmermeer is an incredibly dynamic municipality. It is very local here, but also international because of Schiphol. Business tourism and the international companies that have established themselves in the Haarlemmermeer. It really is a place where there is a nice balance between the interests of residents and businesses. In addition, the Haarlemmermeer has a nice diverse range of restaurants. There is a lot of space here, in the broadest sense of the word.  

I cordially invite everyone to come by for a snack and a drink Dad's Beach House. It is wonderful to enjoy the water here, with a view over the beautiful Haarlemmermeerse Bos!